New gang violence plan to go before Newport News City Council

NEWPORT NEWS — After more than two years of indecision, the City Council will consider a new plan to address gang violence that would start in the 2013-14 fiscal year.

City Manager Neil Morgan on Friday presented a detailed outline of a new $1.1 million initiative that could grow to $1.5 million in 2014-15. The gang violence plan is included in the 2013-14 budget that City Council is expected to vote on in May.

In 2011, Mayor McKinley Price's proposal to address gang issues created controversy, especially over a proposed $1 million ballfield that some council members criticized as being an ineffective strategy to combat gang violence.

The ballfield was abandoned last year, when Price told the Daily Press that the it had become divisive and would not be pursued.

Morgan said he's pleased that there now seems to be momentum on City Council to move forward.

"To make progress on this issue, we had to row in the same direction and get beyond factions," Morgan said.

The new plan focuses on funneling money into broad categories — $445,000 for workforce development, prisoner re-entry and similar programs; $327,000 for partnerships with youth-focused non-profit agencies, treatment and counseling; $263,000 for community policing and other law enforcement programs; and $65,000 for coordinating efforts.

He said despite an overall reduction in violent crime, homicides have been stubbornly consistent at about 20 per year and calls to the police department by residents hearing gunfire have increased from 1,608 in 2009 to 1,987 in 2012.

Morgan said under the plan the city would hire a coordinator who would work in the police department and two "outreach specialists" to help manage efforts. The city would also create a steering commitee and a working group that would help decide what goals to pursue and how to do so.

Morgan said he envisions the bulk of the $1.1 million would be doled out to non-profit groups that apply through a competitive grant-like process.

"I believe much of the money will end up with organizations that already have a successful track record in Newport News," Morgan said.

Morgan said the system will be set up to be flexibile. He said non-profit officials shouldn't believe that if they receive money one year, they will be entitled to funding the following year.

Councilman Rob Coleman said that he hadn't yet read the new plan, but that it sounded like a positive "first step."

"I think this takes a good, balanced approach," Coleman said. "We have a little meat on the bones now."

Gang violence plan

City Manager Neil Morgan is proposing an updated plan to address gang violence for the 2013-14 budget. The plan would fund a $1.1 million effort that would be divvied up into broad categories to address gang violence, including workforce development, community policing and treatment.